Fewer ads could signal Suttle's defeat

Voters will cast their ballots in Omaha's city election in just four days and the mayoral candidates are shelling out a lot of cash to try to sway votes. But a political analyst said it may be too little, too late for Mayor Jim Suttle.

KETV NewsWatch 7’s Ryan Luby investigated if last-minute campaigning will make a difference.

As of Friday, since April’s primary election, both campaigns have spent more than $300,000 on advertising alone. According to reports, Mayor Jim Suttle has spent $146,000 on ads since the primary while his opponent, Councilwoman Jean Stothert, has spent $166,000.

“That's not a good sign for an incumbent,” said Dr. Paul Landow with the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Landow said incumbent mayors are typically better-funded.

Landow also said that Suttle's campaign should have aired campaign ads immediately after the primary to compete with Stothert's campaign that did.

“Your opponent can gain a tremendous advantage during that period of time because you're letting them define you,” Landow said.

Workers at the Suttle campaign disputed that argument and said election day will tell the real story.

“I think it's going to be close,” said Aida Amoura, spokesperson for the Suttle campaign.

Amoura said advertisement dollars only matter so much and that Suttle's campaign ad buyers have been selective on what ad space they buy and when they buy it. Their plan is to stockpile resources until the last week.

“They're really focusing the television ads in putting them out there when they believe people are listening,” Amoura said.

Stothert’s campaign believes voters have been listening for months, which is why voters have seen her ads for so long.

“I think it's about trying to take our case to the voters,” said Ryan Horn, Stothert’s campaign manager.

Although Landow thinks Stothert will come out strong in numbers, he says predictions do have their pitfalls.

NATALIE GLUCKLICH.. SO HOW áMUCH MONEY ARE THEY SPENDING? AND WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? I-TEAM INVESTIGATOR RYAN LUBY JOINS US LIVE WITH THIS COMMITMENT 2013 REPORT. AS OF TODAY -- SINCE THE PRIMARY LAST MONTH -- BOTH CAMPAIGNS HAVE SPENT MORE THAN á300-THOUSAND DOLLARS ON ADVERTISEMENTS ALONE. TONIGHT, THE STRATEGY OF WHAT WORKS, AND WHAT DOESN'T, AND WHY A POLITICAL ANALYST SAYS IT COULD BE A PREMONITION OF THINGS TO COME. ("step right up to Jean Stothert's hall of magic, secrets and illusions--") THERE'S NO SMOKE AND MIRRORS HERE. OMAHA'S MAYORAL CAMPAIGN GETS REAL.("negative campaign ads are always more effective, they work--") BUT DOCTOR PAUL LANDOW AT U-N-O SAYS IT MAY BE TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE FOR MAYOR SUTTLE. AS THE SUTTLE CAMPAIGN STAYED QUIET ON-AIR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PRIMARY, STOTHERT'S CAMPAIGN STAYED ITS COURSE.("omaha's children deserve safe neighborhoods, but under Jim Suttle despite record spending, crime is up--") WITH ONE AD AFTER ANOTHER FROM STOTHERT, THAT'S WHERE LANDOW SAYS THE MAYOR MAY HAVE GOOFED.("your opponent can gain a tremendous advantage during that period of time because you're letting them define you.") SO NOT ONLY DOES áTHAT LEAD LANDOW TO BELIEVE STOTHERT WILL WIN-- --SO DOES THIS. SUTTLE'S SPENT JUST 146-THOUSAND DOLLARS ON ADS SINCE THE PRIMARY. STOTHERT -- 166-THOUSAND. 20-THOUSAND LESS.("that's not a good sign for an incumbent.") STILL, THE SUTTLE CAMPAIGN SAYS ELECTION DAY WILL TELL THE REAL STORY--("I think it's going to be close.") --AND THAT THEIR ADVERTISTMENT DOLLARS ONLY MATTER SO MUCH. IN FACT, SPOKESPERSON AIDA AMOURA SAYS SUTTLE'S CAMPAIGN AD BUYERS HAVE BEEN SELECTIVE.. ON WHAT AD SPACE THEY BUY AND WHEN -- STOCKPILING RESOURCES UNTIL THIS WEEK.("they're really focusing -- the television ads -- in putting them out there when they believe people are listening.") STOTHERT'S FOLKS, HOWEVER, BELIEVE VOTERS áHAVE BEEN LISTENING FOR áMONTHS.("I think it's about trying to take our case to the voters.") THAT'S WHY CAMPAIGN MANAGER RYAN HORN SAYS YOU'VE SEEN STOTHERT'S ADS FOR SO LONG.("i'm Jean Stothert, I'll work hard to protect our children--") WHILE IT'S EASY TO HOLD A LOT OF WEIGHT IN THEM, AND THE MAYOR'S-- ("jean stothert for ma- -gician...") --DOCTOR LANDOW SAYS PREDICTIONS DO HAVE THEIR PITFALLS.("It's politics and it's elections and anything can happen--") IT SURE CAN. OF COURSE THE OMAHA FIRE UNION IS HELPING THE MAYOR BY ADVERTISING TOO. IN FACT, NUMBERS FROM THIS THURSDAY SHOW THEY'VE PURCHASED ABOUT 13-THOUSAND DOLLARS ADS CITYWIDE. TODD, NATALIE.

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